Apparatus for assembling blocks of a hull

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for assembling blocks of a hull which comprises as many carriages as there are floor plates to be welded, the carriages being arranged on at least one pair of parallel rails fixedly mounted on a standard bed, each carriage comprising a pair of wheel frames, a horizontal frame, a vertical frame, and a tiltable frame. The horizontal frame is provided with as many longitudinal member sockets and fixing devices as there are lower longitudinal members to be welded, and first and second floor plate sockets and a floor plate fixing device. The vertical frame is provided with a pivotable jig on its upper portion. The tiltable frame is pivotable about the upper end of the vertical frame and is provided with as many longitudinal member socket and fixing devices as there are upper longitudinal members to be welded. When respective cylinders for the first and second floor plate sockets, the pivotable jigs, the floor plate fixing devices and the longitudinal member socket and fixing devices are actuated, a girder, the floor plates and the upper and lower longitudinal members are located in proper alignment and position, and they are then directly subjected to the process of regular welding.

United States Patent [191 Kawai et a1.

[ Mara-25, 19975 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING BLOCKS OF A HULL [75} Inventors: Takashi Kawai, Yokohama; Kiyoshi Mikizawa, Shimizu; Shigeo Tomita, Shimizu; Yoshio Tatsui, Shirnizu; Akio Hikai, Shimizu, all of Japan [73] Assignee: Nippon Kokan Kabushiki Kaisha,

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Oct. 17, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 407,083

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Exarpiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Sherman D. Basinger Attorney, Agent, or F z'rm'--Flynn & Frishauf [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for assembling blocks of a hull which comprises as many carriages as there are .floor plates to be welded, the carriages being arranged on at least one pair of parallel rails fixedly mounted on a standard bed, each carriage comprising a pair of wheel frames, a horizontal frame, a vertical frame, and a tiltable frame. The horizontal frame is provided with as many longitudinal member sockets and fixing devices as there are lower longitudinal members to be welded, and first and second floor plate sockets and a floor plate fixing device. The vertical frame is provided with a pivotable jig on its upper portion. The tiltable frame is pivotable about the upper end of the vertical frame and is provided with as many longitudinal member socket and fixing devices as there are upper longitudinal members to be welded. When respective cylinders for the first and second floor plate sockets, the pivotable jigs, the floor plate fixing devices and the longitudinal member socket and fixing devices are actuated, a girder, the floor plates and the upper and lower longitudinal members are located in proper alignment and position, and they are then directly subjected to the process of regular welding.

7 Claims, 24 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZSISTS 3,872,815

SHEET 2 (If I P/"JENTEU MAR 2 5 ISIS PATENTEU MAR 2 5 I975 snmsgg;

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING BLOCKS OF A HULL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus and method for assembling blocks of a hull-or like frame structure which comprises a plurality of blocks having different depths and arranged in a latticework.

Heretofore, in the welding and assembly of a frame structure such as a hull, comprising a single member of a relatively large depth (hereinafter referred to as a girder), a plurality of members of the same depth as the girder and arranged perpendicular thereto (hereinafter referred to as floor plates), and a plurality of members having a smaller depth and arranged in parallel above and below the floor plates (hereinafter referred to as upper and lower longitudinal members), it has been customary to mark off the necessary shapes, dimensions or lines on a standard bed, fixedly arrange various sockets on the bed by welding, arrange the girder, the floor plates and the upper and lower longitudinal members in proper sequence, fix these members in proper alignment and position with wedges, and then tack weld these members in position. The process of regular welding is performed after the completion of all the necessary tack welds. This known kind of conventional assembling apparatus will be described in greater detail later.

The above-described conventional apparatus for assembling hulls has the following disadvantages. Firstly,

. the space between the longitudinal members and the floor plates, and also the number of floor plates used differ with different ships. Therefore, every time the blocks of a new type of hull is to be assembled, and previously used sockets must be removed altogether and new shapes or dimensions must be marked off on the standard bed. This, of course, requires the subsequent welding of the necessary sockets on the standard bed in accordance with the newly drawn marksaln other words, the position of the sockets must be changed with different ships. Secondly, even in the case of ships of similar type, if the length of the floor plates (e.g., the number of the longitudinal members) is changed, the position ofthe floor plate sockets must be changed. Accordingly, a new set of the floor plate sockets must be substituted or added. Thus, not only with different ships but also with ships of similar type, the depth of the girder differs, with the result that the height of the girder supports must be changed and the length of the prongs of each pivotable jig must be increased. On the other hand, when each fioor plate is put in place, the raising ofthe tiltable jig and the insertion of the stopper pin must all be made manually. Further, the fixing of the floor plates to the girder must also be made manually, while a piece must be welded to the standard bed in accordance with the length of the floor plate and also the positioning of the floor plates must be made manually and on each of the individual floor plates. Furthermore, the positioning of the floor plates in close contact with their supporting jigs as well as the fixing of the lower longitudinal members must be effected manually, and these operations must be carried out on each of the individual longitudinal members and floor plates. Still further, since the flange portions of the upper longitudinal members reach the bottom of the slots in the floor plates, they must be raised therefrom for fixing purposes, and this must also be effected manually. After the completion of the fixing operations, all the members are welded together by means of tack welds and they are then subjected to regular welding. Thus, the conventional apparatus involves a large number of manual operations which must be done repeatedly, and therefore requires much labour. In other words, different markings and different socket positions are necessary for different types of ships and moreover all of the operations for arranging, fixing and positioning the blocks must be effected manually. Further, they must be welded together by tack welding before they are subject to regular welding, thus requiring much labour and time in'the preparation of the blocks prior to the regular welding operation.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing difficulties.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus according to the present invention comprises a horizontal frame movable on at least a pair of parallel rails, said horizontal frame carrying a floor plate fixing device, a first floor plate socket, a second floor plate socket and a plurality of longitudinal member socket and fixing devices; a vertical frame fixedly mounted on one side margin of said horizontal frame; and a tiltable frame tiltably and vertically movably mounted, together with a pivotable jig, on the top portion of said vertical frame and carrying a plurality of longitudinal member socket and fixing devices.

ADVANTAGES or THE INVENTION The apparatus according to the present invention has the following remarkable advantages.

1. The adjustment of the space between the longitudinal members and the floor plates for different ships can be readily effected in a short period of time and the operations required for removing the sockets and marking off new lines or dimensions are eliminated.

2. The first floor socket can be rapidly moved to and fixed at any desired position in accordance with the length of the floor plate.

'3. The operation of the first floor plate socket to clamp the floor plate can be automatically effected by means of the associated jack.

4. The fixing of the floor plate to the girder can be effected automatically by means of the associated jack, and moreover, a large number of floor plates can be fixed simultaneously.

5. Since each floor plate is held firmly at three portions thereof and located in its proper position by three jacks, the fixing operations can bring the floor plates into alignment with the floor plate lines on the gircler,

and there is thus no need for any individual operation to position the floor plates with respect to the girders.

6. The operation for pressing the floor plates against the floor plate support jig can be effected automatically by means of the associated jack.

7. The operation of fixing the lower longitudinal members in proper position can also be effected automatically and moreover a large number of the lower longitudinal members can be fixed automatically and simultaneously.

8. The use of the upper longitudinal member support clamp prevents an upper longitudinal member from descending to the bottom of the associated slot in the and a sectional view of the first floor plate socket;

' the longitudinal member aligns with that of the floor plate when it is put in place. Still further, the fixing operation can be effected automatically and simultaneously on all the upper longitudinal members.

9. Since all the blocks are pressed against each other by means of jacks, there is no need for tack welding, and thus the blocks can be subjected directly to the process of regular welding.

10. All the necessary adjustments to suit girders of a different depth can be easily effected in a short period .of time.

As indicated above, the hull blocks assembling apparatus according to the present invention has a number of advantages such as the elimination of the need for remarking of the bed for a different ship; easy rapidly effected adjustments to meet any positional changes; automatic operation for placing of the members, and for fixing and positioning of the blocks; the elimination of the tack welding operation; simplified preliminary operations for the regular welding operationand the reduced time therefor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the hull of a ship assembled-with a plurality of blocks in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a ship hull of the type with which the present invention is concerned;

FIGS. 3 to 8 show conventional apparatus for assembling the blocks of a hull, in which:

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the hull structure;

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) show respectively a sectional view and a plan view of the girder support and the pivotable jig;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the socket for a lower longitudinal member;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the socket for a floor plate;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the manner in which a lower longitudinal member is fixed;

' of a hull, in which:

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the apparatus; FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the apparatus; FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are respectively a plan view a side view, a sectional view, a plan view of a longitudinal member socket and fixing device, and a plan view of a scale portion of the device; and

FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b) are respectively a side view and a sectional view of an upper longitudinal member support clamp.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the hull of a ship whichis assembled with a plurality of blocks in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 showing a hull structure with which the present invention is concerned, the illustrated structure is a double bottom structure of a bulk carrier or freighter. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the illustrated structure, since the apparatus of this invention can be used in the manufacture of any hull frame structures of the type comprising a plurality of blocks of different depths which are arranged perpendicular to one another to form a latticework. The double bottom hull structure shown in FIG. 2 will be described hereunder.

A girder 1 having a large depth is arranged in a longitudinal direction in the illustration, and a plurality of floor plates 2 of the same depth as the girder l are arranged at the predetermined spacings from each other and perpendicular to the girder l. Disposed on the top and bottom of the floor plates 2 are pluralities of upper and lower longitudinal members 3 and 4 having a smaller depth and arranged parallel to the girder I in slots 5 formed in the floor plates 2 While a necessary number of pieces for preventing deflection or distortion are usually positioned between the girder I and the floor plates 2 or between the upper and lower longitudinal members 3 and 4, they are not shown here, since they have no direct bearing on the present description. The girder 1 and-the floor plates 2, and also the floor plates 2 and the upper and lower longitudinal members, are fixed and welded in their proper positions with respect to each other to form a hull structure. There are instances where no girder is used in assembling hull structures. I

One form of conventional apparatus for assembling hull structures of the kind described above will now be described.

In the assembling of blocks to form a frame of a ship, for example, a girder line, floor plate lines and lower longitudinal member lines as well as their thicknesses are marked off on a standard bed. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, a desired number of girder supports 6, floor plate sockets 7 and lower longitudinal member sockets 8 are respectively vertically welded and fixed in place on the standard bed 10, according to the marked lines thereon and in consideration of the thickness of these members. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the girder support 6 is provided at a respective position corresponding to each of the floor plates 2 to be welded. The

girder support 6 has a pivotable jig 11 on its upper portion. As will be seen from FIG. 5, the lower longitudinal member socket 8 is provided near each of the forward and rear ends of each lower longitudinal member 4 where they do not obstruct the floor plates 2. Two pieces are welded to the standard bed III-with a spacing slightly greater than the thickness of the web of the lower longitudinal member 4. The floor plate socket 7 comprises, as shown in FIG. 6, a floor plate support jig 12 and a hinged jig 13 located near the end of the floor plate 2 opposite to the girder l.

In the assembling operation of the conventional hull blocks, using the above-described assembling apparatus employing the sockets, the girder I is first conveyed and put in place by a crane and then the pivotable jig 11 on the upper portion of the girder support 6 is tilted so that it serves as a girder tripping support. Then, each of the lower longitudinal members 4 is positioned in the opening of the corresponding longitudinal member sockets 8. Since the floor plate lines have been marked off on the girder 1 and the lower longitudinal members 4, they are carried by the crane into the correct positions by controlling them so that these lines come into alignment with the floor plate lines marked off on the standard bed 10. Next, with the hinged jig 13 of each floor plate socket 7 brought down, the floor plates 2 are properly positioned in place so that the lower longitudinal members 4 are positioned in the slots formed in the floor plates 2. After positioning the floor plates 2 in place, each hinged jig 1,3 is brought up and a stopper pin 14 is inserted to cause the jig 13 to serve as a floor plate tripping support. The forward end of the pivotable jig 11 on the upper portion of the girder support 6 is forked and each of the floor plates 2 is positioned to be inserted between'the forks of the jig 11. Therefore, each floor plate 2 is supported at two places. Fi-

nally, the upper longitudinal members are positioned in the slots 5 in the floor: plate 2 in accordance with the, floorplate lines. Thereafter, the operations for fixing and welding these blocks with tack welds in proper alignment and position with respect to one another are carried out. In the first place, the floor plates 2 are fixed to the girder 1. In other words, a piece 15 is welded to the standard bed below the respective floor plates 2 at a position opposite to the girder. 1. A wedge 16 is then driven between the end of the floor plate 2 and the piece to press and fix the floor plate 2 to the girder 1. In this way, the girder 1 is closely pressed against the girder support 6 and the floor plate 2 against the'girder 1. For adjustment to position the floor plate 2, the upper portion or the lower portion of the floor plate 2 is struck with a hammer to align the floor plate 2with the floor plate line marked off on the standard bed 10. Simultaneously, a wedge 17 is driven into a space between the hingedjig 13 of the floor plate socket 7 and the-floor plate-2 to bring the floor plate 2 into close contact with the floor plate support jig 12. When the floor plate 2 have been positioned in this way, the girder landthe floor plate 2 are welded togetherby. tack welding. This process is effected successively on each of the individual floor plates 2. Thereafter, the lower longitudinal member 4 are fixed to the floor plates 2. As shown in FIG. 7, the slot 5 has a large opening. Therefore, a steel box jig 21 is first positioned in this opening and then a wedge 22 is inserted and driven between the jig 21 and the lower longitudinal member 4 to fix the lower longitudinal member 4 to the floor plate 2. In this case, the alignment of the floor plate line of the lower longitudinal member 4 with the floor plate 2 is simultaneously checked before these members are tack welded. This process is successively carried out on all the lower longitudinal members 4 and floor plates 2. Next, the upper longitudinal members 3 are fixed tothe floor plates 2. In this case, since the flange portion of each upper longitudinal member 3 is simply placed in the slots 5 of the floor plates 2, the flange of the upper longitudinal members 3 reaches to the bottom of each slot 5 and therefore it is lower than the correct position. To bring the flange up to the correct position. Thereafter, as in the fixing operation of the lower longitudinal members 4, a steel box jig 24 is positioned in each slot 5 and then a wedge 25 is driven to complete the fixing operation. After checking the alignment of the floor plate lines, the upper longitudinal member 3 is welded to the floor plates 2 by tack welding. The process is successively carried out on each of the upper longitudinal members 3 and the floor plates 2. After the completion of this tack welding operation, the blocks are assembled by regular welding.

The disadvantages of the above-described known apparatus and method for assembling hull structures have been mentioned earlier.

An embodiment of the apparatus of this invention for assembling blocks of a hull will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 15.

Referring first to FIG. 9, a pair of rails 31 are fixedly mounted in parallel on a standard. bed 33 and a pair of floor plate space measuring scales 32 are also fixedly arranged in parallel on the standard bed 33 to the outside of the rails 31. Carriages 34 of. the same number as the floor plates 2 are positioned on the rails 31 to move therealong. Each of the carriages 34 is C-shaped in cross-section and primarily comprises a pair of wheel frames 35, a horizontal frame 36, a vertical frame 37, and a tiltable frame 38. Each of the wheel frames 35 is provided with a rail clamp 41 so that the carriage 34 may be fixed on the rails 31 at any given position in acrect position, as shown in FIG. 8;, a wedge 23 is first cordance with the space between the floor plates 2, while indicating the position of the carriage 34 by a floor plate space measuring needle cooperating with the floor plate space measuring scales 32 fixed on both sides of the lowerface of the horizontal frame 36. The horizontal frame 36, on which the girder 1 and the lower longitudinal members 4 are positioned perpendicularly and the floor plate 2 is positioned in parallel, is provided on its side surface with as many longitudinal member socket and fixing devices 45 as there are the lower longitudinal members 4. The vertical frame 37 is a girder support frame and is provided with a pivotable jig 46 and the tiltable frame 38 on the upper portion thereof. The tiltable frame 38 is pivotable about the upper end of the vertical frame 37, Longitudinal mem; ber socket and fixing devices 45 of'the same number as the upper longitudinal members3 are provided on the sides of the tiltable frame 38. The frame 38 is located 1 at a certain distance from the floor plate line so that when the frame 38 is tilted to its horizontal position, it does not strike the floor plate 2.. A first floorplate socket 42 for each fioor plate comprises, as shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), a floor plate support jig 51 and a floor plate pressing jig 52 connected to the ram of a jack cylinder 53. The jigs 51 and 52 are integrally fixedly mounted on a single base plate 54. The socket 42 is movable along the horizontal frame 36 in accordance with the length of the floor plate 2 and it is fixable at any given position by aneccentric disc clamp 55. In the fixedly held position, the surface of the support jig 51 contacting the floor plate 2 is in alignment with the floor plate line and perpendicular to the horizontal frame 36. The surfaces of the support jig 51 and pressing jig 52 which are in contact with the floor plate 2 are provided with rollers 56 and 57 so that the floor plate 2, which is forced against the jig 51 and held between it and the jig 52 by the jack cylinder 53, can move without restraint. A second floor plate socket 43 is fixedly mounted on the horizontal frame 36 near the vertical frame 37 as shown in FIGS. 12(a) and 12(c), andit also comprises a support jig 61 and a jack cylinder 62. The jig 61 and the cylinder 62 are integrally mounted on a single base plate 65. The surface of the support jig 61 which contacts the floor plate 2 is in alignment with the floor plate line and perpendicular to the horizontal frame 36. Those portions of the support 61 and the forward portion of the ram which come into contact with the floor plate 2 are provided respectively with a roll 64 and a ball 63 so that the floor plate 2, which is forced against the jig 61 and held between it and the ram, can move without any restraint. As shown in FIGS. 13(a) and 13(b), a floor plate fixing device 44 comprises a sawtoothed rack 74 mounted in the body of the horizontal frame 36 and a floor plate pressing jig 72 having a'pivotable pawl 73 at its rear end and a floor plate pressure plate 75 at its forward end. This is integral with a cylinder 71, whereby by raising the pivotable'pawl 73, the jig 72 is movable on the rack 74 to any desired position in accordance with the length of the floor plate 2. When the lower portion of the floor plate 2 is pressed by the cylinder 71, the reaction force is transmitted to the horizontal frame 36 through the pawl 73 and the rack 74. The floor plate pressing jig 72 is moved along the horizontal frame 36 and guide rollers are arranged so as not to displace the jig 72 out of position. In this way, the floor plate line is marked off on the horizontal frame 36 including the base plates of the first and second floor plate sockets 42 and 43. The longitudinal member socket and fixing device 45 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b), a longitudinal member socket 81, a jack cylinder 83 having the forward endof its ram connected to the socket 81, a box 82 to which thesocket 81 and the cylinder 83 are integrally connected, and'an internally threaded boss 84 connected to the box 82. A screw shaft 85 extending through the boss 84 is connected to the sides of the horizontal frame 36 by meanssof bearings 86 at the ends thereof. By rotating the screw shaft 85, the box 82 is moved as a whole and thus the longitudinal member socket 81 is fixed at any desired position in accordance with the space between the longitudinal members. An indicator 88 is located on the upper surface of the box 82 at a position aligned with the centre line of the longitudinal member socket 81 and a longitudinal member space measuring scale 87 is attached to the upper surface of the horizontal frame 36 to obtain any desired spacingbetween the longitudinal members. Since the lower longitudinal members 4 may be fixed in either the direction of the girder lor the opposite direction, the jack cylinder 83 is of the push and pull type. The longitudinal member socket 81 is placed at a position spaced from the floor plate line by a predetermined distance, so'that the socket 81 does not obstruct the welding operation on the floor plate 2 and the lower longitudinal member 4. After'the lower longitudinal member 4 has been positioned in the socket 81, the jack cylinder 83 is actuated to fix the longitudinal member 4 to the floor plate 2. The construction of the longitudinal member socket and fixing devices 45 on the sides of the tiltable frame 38 is identical with that of the previously described fixing devices 45' for the lower longitudinal member, except that the socket is open downwardly. The pivotable jig 46 which is L-shaped and rotatable as shown in FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b) serves the double function of a girder tripping support and floor plate positioner. The forward end of the jig 46 is forked, one of which forks constitutes a support jig 66 and the other constitutes a pressing jig 67 and is equipped with a jack cylinder 70. The surface of the support jig 66 which contacts the floor plate 2 is provided with a roller 68 and the forward end of the cylinder ram is provided with a ball 69 so that when the floor plate 2 is pressed and held between the jigs 66 and 67 by the cylinder 70, the floor plate 2 can move without any restraint. The roller surface is perpendicular to the horizontal frame 36 and in alignment with the floor plate line. Both the pivotable jig 46 and the tiltable frame 38 are fixedly mounted on the same holder and are vertically movable into any desired positions bya lever 47 and a shaft 48 in accordance with the depth of the girder 1. They are also rotatable independently of each other. The vertical frame 37 serves as a girder support (or as a floor plate support, if there is no girder) to directly carry the girder 1 with the heads of its bolts 49. To bring the girder lines of the plurality of the carriages 34 into line with each other, their bolts 49 are adjusted and the bolts 49 are then fastened by double nuts. The girder line face provided by the heads of the bolts 49 is perpendicular to the floor plate line of each carriage and the base line on the upper surface of the horizontal frame 36. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 15(a) and 15(b), upper longitudinal member support clamps 91 may be provided, if necessary, for each floor plate 2, to fix the upper longitudinal members 3 thereon. The clamp 91 is formed into a rectangular S-shape so that its one end holds the upper end of the floor plate 2 to clamp it in position, and the other end bears the flanged side of the upper longitudinal member 3. Since the dimension of the clamp 91 is selected to conform to the depth of the upper longitudinal member 3, when the upper longitudinal member 3 is positioned on the clamp 91, the longitudinal member 3 does not descend to the bottom of the slot 5, but the upper surface of the longitudinal member 3 is flush with the upper surface of the floor plate 2. The longitudinal member 3 thus positioned can be readily fixed to the floor plate 2.

Using the hull blocks assembling apparatus constructed as above described, the blocks of a hull are assembled in the following manner.

To put the girder 1 in place, the floor plate lines of the girder l are aligned with the floor plate lines marked off on the upper surfaces of the horizontal frames 36 and the pivotable jigs 46 are tilted to serve as the girder tripping supports. Thus, each of the lower longitudinal members 4 is positioned in the associated lower longitudinal member socket and fixing device 5 and the floor plate lines are aligned in a similar manner to the girder 1. Each of the floor plates 2 is then placed in position so that the lower longitudinal members 4 are fitted in the corresponding slots 5 and the floor plate 2 is located between the respective jigs of the first and second floor plate sockets 42 and 43 and the forks of the pivotable jig 46. Then, the jack cylinders 53, 62 and are actuated by depressing push buttons therefor, and the floor plate 2 thus pressed and held firmly between the associated jigs is held upright and aligned with the floor plate line. This operation is effected on each of the carriages 34. After a required number of the upper longitudinal member support clamps 91 have been positioned in the upper slots 5 of each floor plate 2, the upper longitudinal members 3 are positioned in place and their floor plate lines are aligned with the floor plates 2. Thereafter, the tiltable frames 38 are tilted to position the upper longitudinal members 3 in the openings of the corresponding longitudinal member socket and fixing devices 45.

The fixing and positioning operations for the thus arranged blocks of the hull are performed in the following manner.

The jack cylinders 71 of the floor plate fixing devices 44 on all the carriages 34 are simultaneously actuated by depressing push buttons therefore, whereby to press and fix the floor plates 2 to the girder 1. In this case, the cylinder 83 of each longitudinal member socket and fixing device 45 is free, so that force is transmitted from the floor plate 2 to the longitudinal member 4, the longitudinal socket 81 andthe ram, and therefore the ram moves freely to a limited extent in accordance with the distance moved by the floor plate 2. Thereafter, depending on the direction in which the lower longitudinal members 4 are fixed, the push or pull button for each of the longitudinal members is depressed to actuate the jack cylinder 83 in each of the associated longitudinal member fixing devices 45, thereby fixing all of the upper and lower longitudinal members 3 and 4 to the floor plates 2.

The regular welding for the blocks fixed and positioned in the manner described above is immediately effected without tacking the blocks to each other.

It will thus be seen that the apparatus for assembling the blocks of a hull as constructed and operated in accordance with the present invention overcomes the various drawbacks of the known assembling apparatus, and has the previously mentioned numerous advantages.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for assembling blocks of a ship hull comprising:

a bed carrying parallel rails; and

a horizontal frame movable along said rails, said horizontal frame carrying:

a floor plate fixing device;

first and second floor plate sockets;

a plurality of sockets and fixing devices for lower longitudinal members;

a vertical frame, and

means fixedly mounting said vertical frame on one side margin of said horizontal frame, said vertical frame carrying:

a tiltable frame;

means supporting said tiltable frame for vertical movement and tilting relative to the vertical frame;

a jig. and

means supporting said jig for pivotal movement relative to the vertical frame, said tiltable frame carrymg:

a plurality of sockets and fixing devices for upper longitudinal members.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first floor plate socket comprises a floor plate support jig mounted to be movable over said horizontal frame in accordance with the length of a floor plate, and a floor plate pressing jig connected to the ram of a jack cylinder, said floor plate support jig and said floor plate pressing jig respectively having a roller on the surface thereof which comes into contact with said floor plate.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second floor plate socket comprises a supportjig mounted on said horizontal frame in the vicinity of said vertical frame, and a cylinder, said support jig having a roller mounted at that portion thereof which contacts a floor plate, and the forward end of the ram of said cylinder having a ball mounted in that portion thereof which contacts the floor plate.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said floor plate fixing device comprises a sawtooth rack fixedly mounted within the body of said horizontal frame, and

a floor plate pressing jig formed integrally with a jack and mounted to be movable to any desired position by a pivotable pawl.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said longitudinal member socket and fixing devices provided on said horizontal frame and said tiltable frame comprises a longitudinal member socket, a push and pull jack cylinder having the forward end of it ram connected to said socket and a threaded boss which is mounted ina box, and said box is attached to said horizontal frame and said tiltable frame to be movable by rotation of a screw threaded shaft extending through said boss.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pivotable jig comprises at the forward end thereof a floor plate support jig, and a floor plate pressing jig equipped with a jack cylinder, said support jig having a roller mounted in that portion thereof which contacts a floor plate, and the forward end of the ram of said cylinder having a ball mounted in that portion thereof which contacts said floor plate.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vertical frame is provided with a plurality of bolts for providing a girder line. 

1. Apparatus for assembling blocks of a ship hull comprising: a bed carrying parallel rails; and a horizontal frame movable along said rails, said horizontal frame carrying: a floor plate fixing device; first and second floor plate sockets; a plurality of sockets and fixing devices for lower longitudinal members; a vertical frame, and means fixedly mounting said vertical frame on one side margin of saId horizontal frame, said vertical frame carrying: a tiltable frame; means supporting said tiltable frame for vertical movement and tilting relative to the vertical frame; a jig, and means supporting said jig for pivotal movement relative to the vertical frame, said tiltable frame carrying: a plurality of sockets and fixing devices for upper longitudinal members.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first floor plate socket comprises a floor plate support jig mounted to be movable over said horizontal frame in accordance with the length of a floor plate, and a floor plate pressing jig connected to the ram of a jack cylinder, said floor plate support jig and said floor plate pressing jig respectively having a roller on the surface thereof which comes into contact with said floor plate.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second floor plate socket comprises a support jig mounted on said horizontal frame in the vicinity of said vertical frame, and a cylinder, said support jig having a roller mounted at that portion thereof which contacts a floor plate, and the forward end of the ram of said cylinder having a ball mounted in that portion thereof which contacts the floor plate.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said floor plate fixing device comprises a sawtooth rack fixedly mounted within the body of said horizontal frame, and a floor plate pressing jig formed integrally with a jack and mounted to be movable to any desired position by a pivotable pawl.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said longitudinal member socket and fixing devices provided on said horizontal frame and said tiltable frame comprises a longitudinal member socket, a push and pull jack cylinder having the forward end of it ram connected to said socket and a threaded boss which is mounted in a box, and said box is attached to said horizontal frame and said tiltable frame to be movable by rotation of a screw threaded shaft extending through said boss.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pivotable jig comprises at the forward end thereof a floor plate support jig, and a floor plate pressing jig equipped with a jack cylinder, said support jig having a roller mounted in that portion thereof which contacts a floor plate, and the forward end of the ram of said cylinder having a ball mounted in that portion thereof which contacts said floor plate.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vertical frame is provided with a plurality of bolts for providing a girder line. 